Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-03-17
BEECHER ANECDOTES.
Personal Traits and characteristics
of the Great Preacher.

Personal Traits and characteristics
of the Great Preacher.
Henry Ward Beeehers mother died
when he was years old. and Harriet
Porter. DR.. Beecher's second wife, is
represented to have been lady of such
dignity that her influence was somewhat
depressing upon children full of animal
spirits and vigor. Toys and holidays
were unknown. The life of the minis
ter's children was characterized by an
almost Spartan simplicity. which. with
the winds and SHOWS of the mountain
town. developed ruggedness, energy and
self-reliance. in Henry these traits
we're especially strong. The 9-year.old
boy vowed to go through an unusually
severe winter without wearing an over
coat, and when a drouth came in the
dead of winter be harnessed the horse
to sled and started off, three miles
over bleak hills, to ill a barrel with
water.
Beecber was graduated at Amherst
College. In bis last two years at coll
lege he taught district schools. begin
ming his library with the money obtain
ed. preached and spoke regularly in re+
ligious meetings, lectured on temper
ance. and. as the anti-slsvery agitation
was just beginning. took his position
boldly ss an abolitionist. After gradu'
alton he took up the study of theology
under his father, who was then priuci
pal of Lane Seminary, Cincinnati. While
there the animosities engendered by the
anti-slavery agitation eliminated in a
riot, and for week Cincinnati was
overrun by a mob headed by Kentucky
shareholders. Young Beecher asked to
be sworn in as one of the special police
men, and armed with pistol patrolled
the streets.
In 1887 Beecher finished his theologi'
cal studies and married Mrs. E. W. Bull
lard. The first pastoral offer made he
accepted. 1t was call to Presbyteri-
Oh Church in Lawrenceville. little
town on the Ohio not far from Cincin-
natl. Here be preached for two years
in small church, performing all the
duties of sexton-sweepiDg the house,
making the fires and doing everything,
as be said, "but coming to hear myself
preach that they had to do" A larger
field of usefulness was opened in 1889
by call to Indianapolis, then town of
about $500 inhabitants. Here he lived
and labored for eight years. In the
third year of his ministry a great revi-
val began which spread throughout the
State. A member of his church wrote
of him: "It is not improper however,
I to speak of the pastor in that revival as
he is remembered by some of the con.
gregation, plunRing through the wet
streets, his trousers stuffed in his muddy
boot legs, earnest, untiring, swift; with
a merry heart, glowing face and q
helpful word for every one; the whole
day preaching Christ to the people
where he could find them, and at night
preaching still where the people could
him." On October 10, 1S47, he began
his Ply mouth church psstorate.
During the BLEEDING Kansas" excite
ment Mf. Beecher declared that the in
nocept must be protected by force if
need be against the guilty. The practi-
cal result was the starting of subscrip-
ton in Plymouth Church to supply eve
ry Eastern family going to Kansas with
Bible and rifle. Hs took the stump
for Fremont and for Lincoln. When
the flag was fired upon at Sumter, Ply
mouth Church raised and equipped a re-
giment, the First Long Island, in which
his eldest son was an officer. Before
this regiment went into actual service
Mr.. Beecher often visited the camp and
preached to the young soldiers, many
being my own boys" as he used to call
them.
During the war Mr.. Beecher took a
trip to Europe for his health, and at
first declined to speak in public. After
continental trip he yielded to the inn
portunities of bis English friends, and
engaged himself to speak in behalf of
the Union cause in the principal cities
of England and Scotland. Oliver Wen-
dell Holmes wrote after Mr.. Beecher's
return -"The devil had got the start Of
the preacher, as he very often does, af-
ter all. The wretches who have been
for three years pouring their Ieprous
distilment into the ears of Great Britain
had preoccupied the ground and were
determined to silence the minister it
they could. For this purpose they could.
For this purpose they looked to the
heather populace of the nomiDally
Christian British cities. They covered
the walls with blood-red placards, they
stim ulated the mob by inAsmmatory ap-
peals, they filled the air with threats of
riot and murder. 1t was in the midst
of scenes like these that the single soil
tary American opened his lips to speak
IN behalf of his country" Howling
nobs. urged on and rewarded by paid
tools of The South, crowded into Mr.
Beecher's meetings, fighting and picking
pockets by way of Ielaxation.and sought
in fury of blind and unreasonable
r.oe to drive the preacher from the